Lock for mail-bags.



B. L. ANDRUS.

LOOK FOR MAIL BAGS.

APPLIOATIOH FILED JUNE8, 1914.

Patented July 7, 1914.

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BURTON L. ANDBUS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

LOOK FOR MAIL-BAGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 191 1.

Application filed June 8, 1914. Serial No. 843,828.

(DEDICATED TO THE PUBLIC.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BURTON L. Animus, a citizen of the United States, residing at l/Vashington, District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Lock for Mail- Bags, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Under the act of March 3, 1883, the in vention herein disclosed may be used by the Government, or any of its oflicers or employees, without the payment of royalties.

This invent-ion relates to improvements in padlocks of that class adapted to be locked automatically or without a key, to a staple, the shackle moving in a circular path and passing through an opening in said staple.

The object of the invention is the production of a compact, neat and eflicient padlock, as well as to simplify and cheapen its construction.

The elements of the invention, as well as their arrangement and operation, will severally and distinctly appear in the following description and be separately and collectively set forth in the claims.

The purposes of the invention are attained by the mechanism and devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, similar reference characters designating like parts throughout the several views in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the padlock embodying the elements of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation with the cap plate removed and the shackle in locked position; Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4c is a sectional View taken on the line 4- 1 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the tumblers.

The casing is preferably oblong in form, comprising a base plate 1 and a cap plate 2, secured together in any approved manner. In this device, pins 3, l. 5 and 6 of the base are passed through holes in the cap and riveted thereon, as shown in Fig. 1. The body of the casing is provided with a U-shaped recess 15 extending from the edge toward the center of the casing to receive an ordinary staple. The casing is inturned at one edge of the recess in the casing in order to close the opening between the shackle and the casing.

On the pin 5 is pivoted the shackle 7 having an upper arm 8 and a lower arm 9, the former engaging the usual staple and the latter engaging the tumblers 10, both extending in the same direction from the shackle and said tumblers being of the usual construction with attached springs 12 which bear upon the swing plate 13, and held in position by the springs 12. Adjacent to the pin 5 is a tongue 11 extending between the arms of the shackle approximately parallel to the arms 8 and 9, and through which by means of springs 12 and plate 13, the shackle is held in unlocked position. The swing plate is pivoted 0n the pin 4 and engages the under side of the tongue 11 and the under side of said plate is engaged by the spring 12. The tumblers 10 are notched at 1 1 which receive the arm 9 when the shackle is in unlocked position.

The device is operated as follows :As shown in Fig. 2, the shackle is in locked position. To unlock, the key is inserted which by turning, alines the notches in the tumblers and the shackle is thrown to unlocked position by springs 12. To lock, the tongue 11 is pressed against the usual staple thereby turning the shackle on its pivot, said staple engaging under the arm 8. At the same time, the arm 9 being turned out of engagement with the notches 14: the tumblers are thrown downward by the springs 12 and the arm 9 then engages the ends of the tumblers, thus holding the shackle in locked position.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a padlock, the combination of a case having a U-shaped recess therein, a centrally pivoted shackle carrying a locking arm adapted to be projected across the recess, a series of pivoted tumblers provided with notches, a tongue carried by the shackle, an arm carried on the lower end of the shackle adapted to engage the notches in the tumblers, and springs to throw the shackle to an unlocking position when the tumblers are alined.

2. In a. padlock, the combination of a case having a U-shaped recess therein, a centrally pivoted shackle carrying a locking arm adapted to be projected across the recess, a series of pivoted tumblers provided With under side of the tongue and springs attached to said tumblers adapted to engage 10 the under side of said plate.

F notches, a tongue carried by the shackle, an I BURTON ANDRUS' arm carried on the lower end of the shackle Witnesses: adapted to engage the notches in the tum- W. F. WOOLARD, blers, a swing plate adapted to engage the WM. N. FISHER, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, .D. G." 

